Not a
common thing. Yes it could be for ticks, or any other insects that sheep may
attract, it could be because the moving sheep flushes insects, it could be to
pull wool from the sheep to put in their nest, it could be that starlings will
use sheep to get away from a predator (hobby etc) if there aren't bushes nearby.
Or it could just be a nice or entertaining perch.
Maybe
the starling is trying to channel greater brain capacity from the sheep. Or
maybe in reverse............. Sorry that bit is a
joke..........
Philip
Early this afternoon in a sheep pasture near
the Namadgi Visitor Centre a starling was perched on a sheep's head. Is this a
common sight?
I see that, in 1931, Kinghorn reported that starlings had been
observed picking ticks from the backs of sheep in both Tasmania and Victoria
(Emu 30(3): 225-6) - but in these modern days of dipping etc (and these
sheep look shorn), would such a delicacy still be available to the
starlings?
Robin Hide
